Poration



June 14, 1932. c. H. DAVIS, JR 1,863,299

IGNITION DEVICE Filed May 29, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet l gwvonto'a CHHRLE?)HfiLL DRVIS JR.

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June 14, 1932. A 1,863,299

IGNITION DEVICE Filed May 29, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 CHflRLEf) HRLLDflViS JR.

SFMW, WWM 9% Patented June 14, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CHARLESHALL DAVIS, JIL, OF ANDERSON, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR T DELCO-REMY COR-PORATION, OF ANDERSON, INDIANA, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE IGNITIONDEVICE Application filed May 29, 1930. Serial No. 456,982.

This invention relates to improvements in ignition devices for internalcombustion enginesi It is among the objects of the present invention toprovide a compact ignition device for an internal combustion engine, ofsimple structure and design, which may be produced commercially at aminimum cost.

Another object of the present invention is 19 to provide an ignitiondevice comprising inher-fitting portions made up of formed sheet metalwhereby to reduce production costs.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention, as hereindisclosed, will be apparent from the following description, referenoebeing had to the accompanying drawings, wherein a preferred embodimentof one form of the present invention will be clearly shown.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 illustrates the ignition device in side elevation.

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view taken through the ignition device.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the base housing.

4 is a sectional view taken along the line 44 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary view of the base housing illustrating one of theangular cars 30 struck from the side wall thereof.

Fig. 6 is a plan view of the top housing, a part of the interior of theignition device being shown in this view.

Fig. 7 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line 77 of Fig.6.

Fig. 8 is a side view of the top housing showing the ears thereof whichare adapted telescopically to engage the base housing.

Referring to the drawings, the ignition device comprises a bearing blockwhich is adapted rotatably to support the drive shaft 21 of the ignitiondevice. Although not shown in the drawings, this drive shaft 21 is to beoperatively connected with any suit able driving mechanism of the enginefor which this ignition device provides sparking impulses, A condenser22 is secured to the bearing 20 by a bracket 23. A grease cup 24 isprovided on the bearing 20.

' The ignition device comprises a base housing 25, cup-shaped, having anannular side wall 26. A tubular extension 27, of lesser diameter thanthe annular side wall 26, fits snugly upon one end of the bearing 20 sothat the drive shaft 21 in said bearing extends coaxially into andthrough the cupshaped housing 25. At diametrically opposite points,angular ears 28 and 29. are struck from the side wall 26 of thecup-shaped housing 25, the angular ear 28 being of lesser width than theangular ear 29. By striking out the angular cars 28 and 29 from the sidewall 26, gaps 30 and 31 respectively are formed in said side wall. Eachangular car 28 and 29 has a slot 32 in which one end of a hook member 33is hingedly secured.

The base housing 25 contains the speed responsive controlling device ofthe ignition unit. This device comprises a disc-like plate 35 attachedto the drive shaft 21 in any suit-' able manner. Posts 36 and 37 aresecured to the plate 35, these posts having the centrifugal weightmembers 38 and 39 pivotally secured thereto, respectively. A reduced end40 on the portion of the drive shaft 21 extending through the basehousing 25, has a tubular sleeve 41 rotatably supported thereon, whichsleeve 41 provides the interrupter operating cam 42, having a suitablenumberof lobes, not shown. The sleeve 41 is operatively connected with alever 43, which in turn is operatively connected with the cen trifugalweights 38 and 39, so that rotation of the drive shaft 21 is transmittedfrom the disc-like plate 35, through posts 36 and 37 and theirrespective weight members 38 and 39 to the lever 43, which isoperatively connected with the tubular member 41. At a predeterminedspeed, the weight members 38 and 39 will move relative to theirrespective posts 36 and 37 so that they will exert an added rotativeforce upon the lever 43 whereby the tubular member 41 providing cam 42will be rotated in addition to the rotation thereof by the drive shaft21, thus accelerating the time of circuit interruption and thusadvancing the time of sparking impulses. This type of speed controlledspark adjusting mechanism is fully described in the application of JohnT. Fitzsimmons,

Serial No. 234,100, filed Nov. 18, 1927, and forms no part of thefeatures of this invention.

The ignition device comprises also a top housing 50, having an annularside wall 51 and a bottom wall 52. A plurality of angular cars 53, 54,55, 56, 57 and 58 are struck from the bottom wall 52 of this tophousing, these angular ears being so shaped and formed relative to eachother that they are adapted telescopically to engage the annular wall 26of the base housing 25, as shown in Fig. 2. The angular ear 56 of thetop housing 50 is of a width adapted to fit into the gap 30 formed inthe side wall of the base housing 25 by the striking out of the ear 28.The angular ear 53 of the top housing 50 is of a width adapted to fitinto the gap 31 formed in the side wall 26 of the housing 25 by thestriking out of the ear 29, so that ears 56 and 53 of the top housing 50fit into gaps 30 and 31, respectively, of the base housing 25 to closethese gaps in the base housing and also properly to locate the tophousing upon the base housing so that the top housing may be placed uponthe base housing in only the proper position.

The top housing 51 contains the standard ignition circuit breaker whichcomprises a bracket 60, carrying stationary contacts 61 adapted to beengaged by the movable contact 62 carried by the breaker lever 63.Breaker lever 63 is pivotally supported on a post 64 carried by thebracket 52, said breaker lever being urged into contact closing positionby a resilient spring conductor 65, one end of which is in electricalengagement with the ignition unit terminal post 68, shown in Fig. 1, buteliminated for the sake of clarity in Fig. 6. This terminal post isinsulatingly supported by the annular wall 51 of the top housing 50.Breakerlever 63 has a rubbing block 66 adapted to be engaged by thelobes of the .cam 42 to break the engagement of contact 62 with 61 andthereby interrupt the primary circuit of the ignition device.

As shown in Fig. 2. a distributor cap 70, of any suitable insulatingmaterial, fits upon the top housing 50, a notch 71 in the peripheraledge of the annular wall 51 of said top housing receiving an. extensionin the peripheral edge of the distributor cap properly to locate saiddistributor cap upon the top housing. The top housing has two,diametrically opposite recesses 72 which receive the hook ends 73 of thehook members 33 whereby the distributor cap is secured upon the tophousing 51 and at the same time top housing 51 is maintained in properposition upon the base housing 25. Thus hook members 33 maintain theignition unit properly assembled.

A rotor 75 is carried at the upper end of the tubular member 41, saidrotor having a conductor plate 76 provided with a spring contact 77which engages the central high tension terminal 78 of the distributorcap. About this central high tension terminal 78 are arranged aplurality of high tension terminals 79, substantially in circular row,said high tension terminals 79 having end portions 80 extending into thedistributor cap in juxtaposition to the circular path through which theconductor plate 76 of the rotor 75 travels within the distributor cap.From this it may be seen that the sparking impulses from the centralterminal 78 are directed to the various posts 80 of the terminal 79 inproper order, these terminal posts 79 being connected with the varioussparking plugs of the engine.

From the aforegoing it may be seen that applicant has provided anignition unit consisting of two cup-shaped housings of formed sheetmetal, these housings having integral members for maintaining them inproper assembled relation. v 7

While the form of embodiment of the present invention as hereindisclosed, constitutes a preferred form, it is to be understood thatother forms might be adopted, all coming within the scope of the claimswhich follow.

What is claimed is as follows 1. An ignition device comprising, incombination, a base housing having angular ears struck from itsperipheral edge, forming diametrically opposite gaps in the side of saidhousing; a top housing having angular ears struck from the bottom wallthereof which telescopically engage the base housing and.

enter the gaps therein properly to locate the top housing upon the basehousing and to close said gaps; a distributor cap fitting upon the tophousing; and hooks secured to the ears and engaging the cap to hold itupon the top housing and the latter upon the base housing.

2. An ignition device comprising, in combination, a circuit interrupter;means for operating said interrupter; a base housing hav ingdiametrically arranged, angular ears struck from the side wall thereof;a top housing for the interrupter having angular ears struck therefromwhich telescopically engage the base housing to support the one upon theother, certain of said angular ears fitting into the gaps in the basehousing formed by the angular ears struck therefrom to close said gapsand to locate the top housing preferably upon the base housing; adistributor cap on the top housing; and spring clips hingedly secured tothe angular ears of the base housing and having hook ends engaging thedistributor cap to hold it upon the top housing and the latter upon thebase housing.

3. An ignition device comprising, in combination a bearing member; abase housing attached to said bearing member, said base housing havingangular ears struck from its side wall, one ear being wider than theother,

forming gaps in said side wall; a top housing having angular ears struckfrom its bot tom surface which telescopically engage the base housing,certain of the top housing ears fitting into the gaps in the side Wallof the base housing to close said gaps and properly to locate the tophousing upon the base housing; a distributor cap fitting upon the tophousing; and hooks hingedly secured to the angular ears of the base,housing and engaging the distributor cap to hold it upon the top housingand the latter upon the base housmg.

In testimony whereof I hereto aifix my sig nature.

CHARLES HALL DAVIS, JR.

